


Twenty-four hours away// Phan

by Miahxdaphne



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Artist Dan Howell, Break Up, Cheating, Cliche, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Music, Phan - Freeform, Photographer Phil Lester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 22:22:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13533738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miahxdaphne/pseuds/Miahxdaphne
Summary: Phil is on his way home to his girlfriend when he meets a stranger who seems to steal his heart.





	Twenty-four hours away// Phan

**Author's Note:**

> this fic was inspired by Gene Pitney's song, 24 hours from Tulsa.  
> thanks for reading x

_Dearest darling, I had to write to say that I won't be home anymore. For something happened to me, while I was driving home and I'm not the same anymore._

Phil had been driving for nearly twelve hours, the sound of his engine only a soft hum under the sound of the music he had blasting to keep himself awake. He was searching desperately for a place to stop, his eyes growing heavier by the minute. It's not that he was sleepy, he was just hungry and in desperate need of a proper conversation with someone. He couldn't hold back his sigh of relief as he saw a neon sign flashing ahead, not hesitating a bit as he parked his car. The motel was cute, to say the least, it was a faded violet colour with a darker coloured trim. He smiled a little, biting his lip as he took a quick picture of it once he had climbed out. The sun had set only a little while ago, meaning he had a good chance of having an actual bed to sleep in tonight. He hmmed, shuffling into the entrance slowly- his legs still stiff from the drive. 

"Hello!" Phil almost let out a surprised yelp at the unexpected noise when he noticed the young girl sitting in the corner, a few pieces of paper sprawled out on the table in front of her along with the broken crayons. Phil smiled, waving shyly. "Hello...I'm Phil." She grinned, waving back. "I'm Paeton." She announced proudly before smiling shyly. "I'll get mummy for you." She hummed, skipping out to what seemed to be the back room. Phil chuckled, looking around awkwardly as he waited. He bit his lip, looking down at his phone with a small smile. "Soon..." He mumbled to himself as he looked at the picture of him and his girlfriend, Alice. He had been away for nearly two weeks, he couldn't wait to get home and finally see her again- he only had a day's drive left and then she'd be back in his arms like he so dearly missed. Well...at least he thought he did, their relationship was rocky and probably far from healthy. 

"Hey, sorry to keep you waiting..." Phil glanced up at the flustered boy before him, smiling a little. "Oh, it's no worries- I've only been here like a minute." He chuckled, stepping to the counter properly. The boy smiled sweetly, nodding. "No worries." He hummed, biting his lip as he grabbed a book. "I'm guessing you'd like a room?" He looked up at Phil again, his doe eyes seeming to startle Phil for a moment. This boy was beautiful, terrifyingly so. "Yes please,  just for a night." He grinned, biting his lip. Phil watched in awe as the brunette filled out the book, taking note when he signed off the room under 'Dan'. He bit his lip softly when 'Dan'smiled up at him, holding the book out. "You just need to fill in your details." He hummed, running a hand through his hair. Phil felt the overwhelming urge to do the same, but he held back- busying his hands with writing his name down. "So Dan..."He bit his lip as he looked at him again, handing the book over gently. "Do  you happen to know of anywhere I could grab something to eat?" He asked, smiling a little. 

Dan smiled sheepishly, nodding. "If you give me five minutes I can show you to your room and then the way to the tavern?" He suggested, writing up a receipt as Phil handed over the required amount of cash. Phil felt his heart flutter a little, he hadn't been so entranced by a strangers beauty before. "I'd like that, thank you." He grinned, nodding. Dan smiled and nodded. "Great, here are your keys, just give me a minute and ill be right out." The boy gushed, hurrying out the back. Phil chuckled a little to himself, glancing down at his phone. He had no signal, so that meant he wouldn't be able to call Alice...not that he was really upset about that. Guilt seeped through him as he thought about her, waiting eagerly at home for him. He shook those thoughts from his head when Dan walked over with a soft smile. He looked even more adorable now, he had changed his work shirt to a pink sweater that seemed to bring out the tint on his lips. "Follow me." He smiled, humming to himself as he lead Phil to his room. Phil followed after him, looking around at the cute art pieces that decorated the walls, it made this place feel homely. In all honesty, it was what Phil had wanted for a while now. "The artwork is cute..."He hummed, biting his lip softly. Dan smiled, blushing a little. "Thank you...I did most of them myself." He admitted sheepishly, making Phil grin. "That's so cool!" He chuckled. "You're very talented." Dan blushed, shaking his head as he opened Phil's door. "I'm  _okay..._ " He chuckled. "This is your room, I gave you a double bed for a singles price..." He hummed, smiling at him. Phil smiled, setting his bag down on the bed carefully. "Thank you, I'll just change my shirt and then we can head off to the tavern?"He smiled, earning a nod from Dan. He was quiet, and quite shy- which in all honesty was only making Phil all the more smitten with him. There was just something about his smile that drove him crazy. 

Phil turned his back on Dan for a moment, quickly changing into a more appropriate shirt.  He couldn't help but smirk a little when he noticed the very flustered expression on Dan's face when he turned back around. "Ready to go?" He asked, stopping just in front of the boy. Dan blushed a little before nodding. "Yeah, follow me." He hummed, walking off ahead of Phil. "Oh, here is kind of a dead spot for signal...so if you need to get in contact with someone, you'll have to use our satellite phone or you can send a letter." He chuckled, leading Phil out a back entrance. Phil smiled, nodding at the information before stopping dead in his tracks. This place was beautiful. The 'tavern' was actually an outdoor kitchen built around a large oak tree that had different types of string lights and lanterns hanging from it; giving the whole courtyard a magical aesthetic, small alfresco tables were spread around the courtyard, each table decorated with a bowl of fairy lights and fake peonies. "This place is beautiful." He hummed. Dan nodded and smiled. "it is." He agreed, waving at a few older locals. "Tonight is 'oldies night, so you'll have to excuse the old music and stuff," Dan informed, gesturing to the dance floor that had a few local slow dancing to Elvis. Phil smiled, shaking his head.  "That doesn't bother me at all."  Phil hummed, looking around again with a smile. Dan nodded, biting his lip. "Great well...I'll leave you to it- have a good night Phil." Dan smiled again before turning to walk off, Phil grabbed his hand gently. "Stay?" He asked with a hopeful smile, he wasn't ready to just say goodbye to him. Dan bit his lip softly, a conflicted look on his face, though, he nodded after a moment. "Okay..."

Dan lead them over to his favourite spot, the table was a little secluded but the dancefloor was still in clear view. Phil grinned, watching everyone dance in awe. This place seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, yet everyone was still so happy and bright. He loved it, he could feel himself falling in love with the tiny town....and the people. "So, tell me about yourself." Dan broke the silence after a while, watching Phil. No one seemed to react like that anymore, most people tried to be polite whilst fleeing the town no later than when they arrived, but Phil was different- he looked like he genuinely enjoyed being here, it was refreshing. Phil seemed a little bashful at the request, biting his lip lightly. "There's really not much to tell, I live an ordinary life...I do photography, I'm actually on my way back from a convention. He smiled, resting his chin in his palm as he watched Dan talk about himself. it became clear to Phil just how amazing Dan was, he had moved here a few years ago with his sister in law to help her fix up the motel- but like everyone else, he seemed to have fallen in love with the place. He gave up his art career to help keep the town running, he even donated his artwork to the community so everyone had at least a little bit of beauty in their lives.  After talking about the deep stuff, the conversation moved onto much lighter topics, Dan wasn't surprised to learn Phil had a girlfriend either, apparently 'he seemed like the type'. They talked about nothing as they ate, joking like old friends before a frail-looking woman walked over, a wide grin on her face.

"I hope you boys aren't planning on leaving, it's dancing time." She announced, pulling them both up from their seats. Phl let out a surprised chuckle as Gene Pitney started playing softly. "Don't make me whack you two, go and dance." She scolded before shuffling off to her husband of sixty years, slow dancing with him. Phil smiled sheepishly, pulling dan close as they started swaying in time to the music. Phil wanted to think about how ironic this moment was, but he kept it to himself' singing along quietly instead. " _Dearest darling I had to write to say that I won't be home anymore..._ " He looked down at Dan as he sang, holding his hips gently as they swayed along. Dan looked up at him, his eyes sparkling under the lights. He was so beautiful. Phil bit his lip softly, smiling down at him as he sang along a little longer. " _Oh, I was only twenty-four hours from Tulsa...Ah, only one day away from your arms. The jukebox started to play and night time turned into day."_ Phil sang quietly, fighting the urge he had to kiss Dan at the moment. Between how close they were and the eerily similar song about his situation, it seemed almost impossible not to. Dan seemed to catch onto Phil's internal debate, leaning up to kiss him in time with the lyrics.  _All of a sudden I lost control as I held her charms, And I caressed her, kissed her..._ It was truly a beautiful moment, cliche probably- but Phil didn't care, he had a beautiful boy in his arms, kissing as if the song was written to be about them. Dan pulled away a small while later, smiling up at him sheepishly. "What was that last part? I missed it" He giggled softly. Phil cupped his cheek softly, smiling down at him as he repeated the last lyric for Dan. " _I'd die before I would let her out of my arms."_ He breathed out softly, meaning every word he whispered, kissing him again.  

The rest of the night played out with them sitting together, sharing gentle kisses and soft-spoken words. Dan was curled into his side with a sheepish smile. "So...when are you leaving?" He asked, a hint of sadness in his voice, he didn't want Phil to leave.  Phil bit his lip softly, playing with Dan's hair gently. "I was actually thinking....maybe I could stay?" He smiled softly, biting his lip. Dan looked up at him with wide eyes. "But Alice...." Phil took his hand gently. "Someone else has my heart now." He whispered, kissing his knuckles gently. He was telling the truth too, Dan had managed to steal his heart in only a few short hours and Phil wouldn't have it any other way. His grandma had always talked about the sudden love she felt for his grandfather, she'd tell Phil that if he ever felt his heart flutter just by seeing someone- he was meant to be with them.  Dan nodded softly, leaning up to kiss him again. "It's your choice." He whispered, biting his lip with a sheepish smile.  Phil looked down at him. "I choose you." He whispered. 

_I hate to do this to you but I love somebody new, what can I do? And I can never, never, never go home again._

 


End file.
